At JFK International Airport on Tuesday, a man from New York was detained as he allegedly got ready to board a plane to Qatar to join ISIS in Syria.
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In a press release, the U.S. Justice Department announced Syed Aman was arrested and faces charges for allegedly attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization. USA Today reports federal prosecutors claim Aman was allegedly motivated by a desire to engage in what he described as a holy war and shared his extremist views with an undercover FBI agent since the beginning of October. He expressed hatred for those who “deny the path of Allah” and warned, “If people aren’t killed, they will kill us and ruin the earth with decay.”
The DOJ stated that Aman expressed his beliefs on social media, where he allegedly posted his intentions to harm Americans. Additionally, he wrote in a notebook about his desire to become a martyr for the terrorist organization. After gathering evidence, the FBI arrested Aman after he allegedly detailed plans to travel from Qatar to Turkey and then cross into Syria, where he hoped to train and fight with ISIS.
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“Aman made two attempts to book travel to the Middle East in late October 2024, but his purchases were blocked by his credit card company. On his third attempt, Aman was successful in booking a flight from JFK Airport to Bangladesh via Doha. Aman told the CHS that he intended to disembark from his flight in Qatar and to purchase a flight from Qatar to Turkey where he would seek to cross into Syria to join ISIS.”
He also detailed his plans on pro-ISIS internet forums and said he found a way to bypass security measures and sought financial support. It was also reported that his mother initially took away his passport in June when she discovered his plans.